Overshoe-retainer.



E. A. WARD.

OVERSHOE RETAINER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28. I916.

Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

R 0 T N E V m ATTORNEY WITN ESSES WASHINGTON. l9v c.

ELLA A. WARD, OF PROFFIT, VIRGINIA ovERsnoE-nnramnn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filer; March 28, 1916. Serial No. 87,266.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ELLA A. Wanma citizen of the United States, residing at Profiit, in the county of Albemarle and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Overshoe-Retainers, of which the following is a specification.

An object of my invention is to provide a device which may be fitted in place to extend around the heel and across beneath the instep to engage with and hold an overshoe or slipper against pulling off or against the usual slipping over the heel of the shoe or over the heel of the foot, means being provided to be secured across the bridge of the foot to secure the retainer against displacement.

A further object is to so construct the device that it may be folded to a relatively flat position to permit carrying of the same in the pocket, and which will when fitted in the operative relation be held against displacement in any of its parts even though they be so connected that this collapsing of the device is permitted.

lVith the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter set forth in connection with the drawings and then more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing one form of my invention with the parts arranged in the position which they will take when the device is in use. Fig. 2 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 1 but showing a modified form of the device. Fig. 3is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view to show the manner of assembling the members of the device as shown in Fig. 2.

In the form of the device shown in Fig. l, the entire device is constructed of leather or fabric straps, or of other flexible bands, and the instep band 9 is slitted through at each of its ends to provide the loops 10 and 11. A strap 12 is led through the loop 11 and is then looped around to form a heel band 13, after which it is passed through the loop 10 and is extended to provide the securing portion 14. A buckle 15 is mounted on the remaining end of the strap 12 and the securing end 14 is passed through this buckle to hold the device in place after the heel band 13 has been fitted around the heel and the instep band 9 has been fitted in. the

proper relation, this securing end 14 being received across the bridge of the foot.

In the device as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the heel band 16 and the instep band 17 are eachmade from a single strand of wire,

Patented Nov". 28, 1916p these bands being preferably flattened out in their body portions to thus give a broader bearing upon the overshoe or slipper. At

its end, the instep band 17' is looped around as at 18, and is then again extended upwardly and bent over to provide the hooks 19. The heel band 16 is looped at its ends to form the eyes 20 which are received through the loops 18 and thus the instep andheel bands are mounted together flexibly so that they may be folded to a collapsed relation or may be opened to the relative positioning shown in Fig. 2, or to an even greater angular separation to accommodate the particular overshoe or slipper to which the device is fitted. The securing straps 21 and 22 are connected with the hooks 19 on the opposite sides of the device and these straps may be provided with a buckle and with tang openings so that as the straps are brought over the arch of the foot, they may be connected together to hold the retainer structure in the proper operative mounting.

In the use of the device as above set forth, the heel and instep bands will be fitted in the proper relation against and over the corresponding parts of an overshoe or slipper and then the securing straps are brought up over the bridge of the foot and are secured together through the medium of the fastening means provided, which fastening means permits adjustment of the tension exerted by the securing straps so that the proper tension can be obtained to secure the device suffioiently tightly but at the same time comfortably in place.

While I have herein shown and described only specific forms of my invention, it will be understood that modifications and variations might be resorted to in the construction and arrangementof the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not Wish to be limited to the exact disclosure, but only to such points as may be set forth in the claims.

I claim I l. A retainer comprising a member shaped to be received and to fit beneath the instep of an overshoe or slipper with its ends terminating at the sides of the foot adjacent to the instep, said instep band provided with loops at its ends, a second member mounted through the loops of the first member in a relation to fit around the heel as the first mentioned member is fitted to the instep, and means to secure said bands in the proper retaining relation.

2. A retainer comprising an instep band arranged to be fitted under the instep of an overshoe or slipper and provided at its ends with loops, a heel band connected through said loops in a relation to be capable of swinging movement to a collapsed relation and to be received around the heel as the instep band is fitted in the proper position, strap securing means formed in conjunction with one of said bands, and straps connected with said strap securing means to be received over the arch of the foot and connected together to retain the heel band and instep band in an operative relation.

3. A retainer comprising a heel band, an instep band provided with looped and hooked formations at the ends thereof, eyes ELLA A. WARD. \Vitnesses H. E. DINWIDDIE, E. B. PERRY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,D G. 

